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Media Release

20 June 2014

Corporate Card Kickstarted To Realise Savings

20 June 2014

Minister for Finance and Services, Dominic Perrottet, today instructed the Office of Finance and Services (OFS) to kick-start the Government’s corporate card program, PCard, following the findings of a report issued by the NSW Auditor-General.

“If working effectively, the PCard Program has the potential to save the Government and taxpayers up to $33 million each year,” Mr Perrottet said.

“I’ve tasked my portfolio with the job of with leading the rollout of PCard across the government sector, starting with full implementation within OFS by the end of year.

“In line with the recommendations handed down by the Auditor-General’s Office, OFS is working on ways to improve the adoption, processes and monitoring of the corporate card program.

“We are confident that we can turn this program around and make government purchasing easier and simpler.”

Mr Perrottet said there were more than 430,000 annual transactions made using PCard.

“As more of us move towards paperless and electronic transactions, surprisingly many government agencies are still using older, more cumbersome methods, with around two million payments made using cheques in the last financial year,” he said.

“We want to cut red tape and remove duplication by making PCard the preferred method for purchasing goods and services, where appropriate.

“Currently, around 85 per cent of all government purchases are below the $3000 threshold, and for most of these purchases corporate cards offer an efficient way to pay.

“Over the coming months, OFS will be doing all it can to accelerate the program and encourage more departments to take up and start using PCard.”

Governments from other jurisdictions, including Queensland and Western Australia, have successfully implemented similar corporate card systems.